Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I honor the life of my constituent, Emma Anne Hill, who sadly passed away on September 29, 2026, at 25 years old. Emma was born with a congenital heart defect, known as pulmonary atresia. When she was born, doctors expected she would not live through the month, but Emma decided that wasn't enough for her. Emma spent her 25 years fighting through multiple surgeries, heart failure, pain, and challenges most Americans could not imagine, but she also spent her years determined to bring joy to her family and friends.

My heart is with Emma's parents, Casey and Kysha; her siblings, Porter, Claire, Adam, and Jane; and the community of people who love and have supported Emma and her family over the last 25 years. I am comforted to know that they will all be together again one day.

Emma was a friend to every person she met, spreading happiness, friendship, and joy--what her father has called as ``the Emma way.'' In her honor, I encourage all of us to be more like Emma.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of the Protecting Domestic Mining Act.

Mr. Speaker, I also rise to give the ranking member, the gentleman from northern California, another opportunity to agree with a Utahn today.

I am very proud to co-lead this legislation, including this bill, with Representative Shreve and sincerely thank Chairman Westerman for his leadership on this issue.

This committee is about getting things done. This committee is about being productive, and it is an honor to have been on this committee and to continue to be associated with it.

I am glad to see this very important bill progress through our Chamber. It is no question that the American domestic mining industry is critical to our national security and our energy dominance.

In Utah alone, mining supports over 43,000 jobs and contributes over $5 billion to our State GDP annually. Across the country, those numbers jump to nearly 600,000 jobs and over $375 billion to our GDP.

Growth in this sector has historically been difficult. It takes an average of 19 years for a new mine to go through the permitting process. These delays unnecessarily burden our growing supply chain demands and create further reliance on Chinese mineral production.

The FAST-41 Program was a move in the right direction to ensure more efficient and predictable timelines when working with the Federal Government to open new mines. The increased coordination and cross- agency engagement are exactly the kind of improvements that our government needs.

Unfortunately, the Biden administration decided that only certain types of mines should be eligible for FAST-41. This bill corrects that decision and protects the eligibility of all hardrock mines.

We often speak about the importance of supporting domestic production and the risks associated with overreliance on countries that want to see us fail. We have a real opportunity to change our programs, to support domestic industry, promote American energy and national security, and fulfill our responsibility to make government work better for the people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I am excited to welcome my colleagues to speak with me tonight during this Special Order. I understand some of my colleagues have commitments, and I want to be respectful of their time. I will have them start us off before I provide some of my own comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Knott).

Mr. Speaker, I concur. The greatest sporting event of the year is always, of course, the Little League World Series. Thank you to the gentleman from North Carolina for highlighting it, and congratulations to that incredible team.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Kiggans).

Federal Government Should Work for American People

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the Commonwealth of Virginia for her remarks. I appreciate all of the work that she does. She cares. I have been able to go throughout her district with her to her military bases. I know of nobody who understands the issues more than her and who cares about the issues of our servicemen and -women more than Jen Kiggans. I thank her for sharing that message with us tonight.

I now yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Kustoff).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his remarks. I loved the opportunity to work with him on that bill.

As he brings up 199A, it is always fascinating. The one thing I wish we didn't have to go through back here--there is a long list of that, I guess--is the misrepresentation of that bill. The vast majority of it is targeted at small business and middle- and lower-income Americans. There is a constant, let me call it, like I said, misrepresentation of ``this goes to the billionaires and doesn't help the working class.''

Then explain to me why the child tax credit is income capped, so middle- and lower-income Americans are the ones who take advantage of it. Then you add in the standard deduction, things like 199A, those are all targeted at small businesses and lower- and middle-income Americans. It is frustrating and disheartening to constantly hear the misrepresentation from the left on that tax policy. It is what it is, unfortunately, but it is one of the things that really wears on you because it is just not accurate, and they know it, but it is where we are. I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for sharing that.

I now yield to the gentleman from the great State, maybe the greatest State, I think we can call it the greatest State in the United States of Utah (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Kennedy) for his excellent words. They come from a place of firm understanding, being a physician and recognizing that the answers are not derived from Washington. I had it couched. I was talking with a colleague the other day, saying that the legislation of the working families tax cuts that we accomplished last year had the largest spending reductions in history. At the same time, it has provided more relief to families with respect to the tax policy than any piece of tax legislation that we have seen.

It is all focused on middle- and lower-income Americans. That is where the bulk of that comes from, and it gives them more opportunities and options to be able to choose their course, their decisionmaking, and their potential upward mobility.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for highlighting all of that.

Mr. Speaker, this week, we passed legislation to prevent another government shutdown and provide more time to make intentional decisions about the other Federal spending aspects that still need to be accomplished.

We acted early to keep the government open and made the investments needed to keep America running, putting the interests of families and businesses first. There was no last-minute crisis, just responsible government well ahead of the shutdown date. That keeps America moving forward.

This bill protects veterans, families in need, and our national security. It preserves programs for senior nutrition; women, infants, and children in the WIC program; housing assistance; veteran services; and disaster relief.

It provides the stability needed to meet critical national security obligations and maintain America's strength. It extends major highway, rail, and transit authorities, which gives States and communities certainty while longer term legislation will continue to move forward. Now, we will continue debating, discussing, and moving forward on that larger appropriations process. We are ensuring the process is committee-led and Member-driven, as it should be, with more transparency and accountability.

Last year's government shutdown hurt American workers and families. I am grateful both sides of the aisle came together to avoid another one.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Monument Location Act.

First, I give a very sincere thank you to the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and the ranking member for expeditiously working to get this bill through, in addition to in years past when we got the National Medal of Honor memorialized and approved as well. This has been an amazing thing to be part of, and these two gentlemen have been very helpful. Also, as a third voice to concur, the Senate should pass a lot more House bills. They should realize how good of work we do over here.

Mr. Speaker, as America celebrates our 250th year, it is only fitting that we recognize the sacrifices made that allow us the freedoms that we have today.

Over 40 million Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since the Civil War, but fewer than 4,000 have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

This award not only commemorates the bravery of those who earn it, but it also honors their humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice for the United States and her people.

I think President Harry S. Truman put it best when he said: ``We do not go to war for gain or territory. We go to war for principles, and we produce young men like these. . . . I would rather have that medal . . . than be President of the United States.''

Placing a monument to Medal of Honor recipients on The National Mall was one of the first initiatives I worked on when I came to Congress nearly 6 years ago. First, we authorized a Medal of Honor monument here in Washington, D.C., and that bill passed Congress and was signed into law in December of 2021.

This legislation is the next and final step to giving our heroes and their families the commemoration they deserve.

I am grateful to my friend from Texas (Mr. Veasey) for working on both bills with me.

If today's bill looks familiar, it should. A version of S. 858 was one of the first bills that passed the House in the 119th Congress, and it passed by a vote of 414-0.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill again and join me in thanking our Medal of Honor recipients for their patriotism, sacrifice, and example.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the nearly 40- year career of Lieutenant General Chris Mohan. As his service comes to an end, I'd like to recognize the legacy of exceptional service and leadership that Lieutenant General Mohan leaves behind.

Lieutenant General Mohan leaves the Army with a decorated and distinguished career. He earned numerous awards, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal and Meritorious Unit Citation. These awards speak for themselves as, in addition to his deployed service in the Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom operations. Lieutenant General Mohan's served in numerous command assignments which took him across the country and overseas. I'm especially grateful for his time at the Tooele Army Depot in Tooele, Utah.

Since November of 2025, Lieutenant General Mohan has served as the Commanding General of the United States Material Command. His expertise contributed directly to the strength and development of our national security.

Our Nation's veterans exemplify the best our country has to offer, and we will always be in a debt of gratitude towards them. I'm proud to recognize Lieutenant General Mohan's career, and to thank him for his selfless service to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

In 10 years, the deficit will be greater than every penny spent by the Federal Government between 1789 and 2023. As we celebrate our 250th, this is the time to reflect on it and to focus on it. I am going to share something tonight that is going on every single day, specifically about trying to find the opportunity for deficit reduction.

I have another colleague who will be here momentarily as well, but this is, obviously, an evergreen topic, something that we are constantly focused on, something that members of the Budget Committee, members of the Bipartisan Fiscal Forum, members of various groups that focus more heavily on this than maybe some other issues.

I am proud to count myself as part of that. I remember voting against debt ceiling increases that didn't have some type of spending reduction, even when my own side was proposing them, that didn't have some type of spending reduction, a spending cap, or even a fiscal commission. There are many solutions. It is a key aspect, and it is something that we need to reflect on.

In President Trump's first year, as we started the 119th Congress, taking that first entire year, calendar year 2025, and comparing it to calendar year 2024, a very unique thing happened: We had about $360 billion worth of deficit reduction.

We ran an approximately $1.8 to $1.9 trillion deficit over the last few years, and it has gone up considerably since COVID, during President Biden's 4 years. The first year that Republicans had the White House, House, and Senate, we had an extraordinary feat of $360 billion worth of deficit reduction.

There were spending constraints. There was restructuring of how we approached some of the student loan aspect of the budget, various elements within the entirety of the appropriations process from different agencies across the board that were pulling back and withholding some of their planned spending. That, mixed with revenues from tariffs, created a $360 billion deficit reduction. It doesn't get reported much, doesn't get talked about.

A portion of that tariff money after the SCOTUS ruling will be refunded back, so of that 360, there will be money going back ultimately to some of these companies that are involved in this. The world of tariff and trade policy will continue to play out where you will still get revenue to help us offset some of the deficits.

I have been critical of some of the tariff policy. I have been supportive of some of the tariff policy. I want two specific things from tariffs. I want them to be consistent. If they are going to exist, I want them to be consistent, something the companies, business folks, and families can plan on, as well as be a positive contributor to reducing deficits. I think there is an opportunity to do both of those things, and we are seeing that play out.

I am going to talk a little bit tonight about what is actually going on with one of the most important aspects of the constant churn of us reducing deficits, and that is what is taking place within some of our administrative agencies on finding fraud. I am going to share some anecdotes and some data. I look forward to doing that.

Before I do that, I have a colleague here who is going to share a brief message. I yield to the gentleman from the great State of North Carolina (Mr. Edwards).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for his message and focus on very important issues.

Mr. Speaker, as I was mentioning, there is no question that we have a major issue in front of us. Over the last 18 months, I have gone back home and had a chance to share a lot of the specifics as to the gains that we are making from the reductions. I want to just highlight some of this.

Our Federal debt continues to grow unsustainably, and major trust fund programs face looming insolvency. To add insult to injury here, there is rampant fraud across our country.

If we want to get a handle on our national debt, then we also need to address what I will call the invisible tax on the American people. The data is staggering. The Government Accountability Office estimates that the U.S. Government loses as much as $500 billion in Federal funds every year to fraud. Half a trillion dollars is wasted because fraudsters and scammers cheat our systems. That is $4,000 per American household every year completely wasted. If there is one thing that infuriates every American, it is the waste of their hard-earned taxpayer dollars.

I find that in my own life. My wife and I are budgeting. The part that is frustrating is that it is not that we don't have to spend or invest in areas, but we have to eliminate the waste. Families are working hard to play by the rules, and fraudsters are stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from childcare programs,

To address this, the House Republicans recently passed the Stop Child Care Scams Act, forcing accountability when States repeatedly fail to fix fraud and serious program violations.

Fake ghost students are draining $180 million in financial aid that should be helping hardworking American students, so I am supporting ID verification before tax dollars to support those programs go out the door.

Our reports have exposed fraud in States like Minnesota and California. They have industrial-scale theft, and it has gone unabated for years. Even States like Florida have had many issues in this regard.

One-third of all hospices in the entire country are in Los Angeles, and CMS estimates that at least one-half of those are fraudulent. Eight hundred of those hospices have now been suspended. The numbers I had from just a couple of months ago were that they suspended licenses of 400. They have even had a chance to do more, but they

have suspended 400 licenses and really only heard back from 12, meaning that 12 were probably running legitimate businesses.

They identified, through good data analytics, investing in targeting the right areas where we anticipate there being significant fraud, and they are taking action. If somebody reaches out and says, ``Wait, what is going on? Why did you cancel our license?'' if they are a legitimate business doing legitimate work, they can show that. The overwhelming majority were actually pinpointed. They suspected some level of fraud, and it appears to be very accurate.

Another anecdote that I just got recently, just this week, from a meeting with members within this agency, CMS, is that they have sent letters to the Medicare patients. Patients in hospice care are signed up for treatment with a number to show they are in hospice care. They have an opportunity to send correspondence to these folks just confirming that they have initiated hospice care.

Mr. Speaker, 15 percent have come back from States--I think the exact States were in the Southwest, California, Nevada, and, I believe, Arizona. Those three States came back with 15 percent of the people whom they were sending letters to saying, no, they are not on hospice. The majority of that was focused in this area. For some reason, the Los Angeles area went rampant in this hospice world. Ninety companies were associated with one address.

I have worked in the durable medical equipment industry before. There is equipment, call centers, and a workforce. You can't run 90 companies out of one location, Mr. Speaker, but this is what these dedicated men and women within our organizations within this administration are going out trying to find.

These are real numbers. These are real examples. This is not made up.

When I get the chance to go back and share this at home, they are really frustrated. They are also proud that this type of fraud doesn't stem from Utah. It is a moment of some recognition that States have a huge responsibility to play with respect to how these programs are implemented, and the States need to do a good job.

I am proud to say that Utah has been deemed to be very strong in this case. I am really impressed with the professionalism of what I am seeing. They continue to go and identify this. They are using good data analytics to be able to figure out where the potential might be next and go after it.

It is something that I share tonight as we highlight these issues of deficits, that this is going on daily, and as part of that first year of success of $360 billion, this is part of it. This is the type of stuff that Americans love to see because it is wasteful and fraudulent. People need to be held accountable. That is all taking place and happening.

Just this week, the Labor Department sent a strike team to New York to crack down on unemployment insurance fraud that is costing taxpayers an estimated $2 million a day. New York recorded more than $750 million in improper unemployment insurance payments and $507 million in fraudulent payments just last year.

House Republicans are focused on making sure the services get to the people who actually need them and are not wasted or stolen.

In the Ways and Means Committee, we have worked to put new guardrails on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to mitigate improper payments and ensure States are paying their fair share for this critically important program.

Empowering agencies to investigate and root out fraud and making targeted investments into fraud prevention and recovery programs is a giant step forward.

For every dollar Medicare spends on monitoring programs, the government sees almost $25 in savings. Mr. Speaker, you will see Dr. Oz communicate this, and you will see his team communicate this. They have team members under Dr. Oz's purview who have said: I will come back and work in this job again.

They worked in the first Trump administration. They said: I will come back if we can be even more laser focused and really go after the fraud.

That was Dr. Oz's mission, and that is what his team's mission is. They do an incredible job of explaining and sharing with us the proper information. It is not hyperbole; it is not rhetoric; it is literally data. They talk about these numbers with respect to spending a dollar on these efforts, site visits, sending out communication to find out if they are truly actual patients on hospice. That takes a little bit of resources, but we are getting back a strong yield from that, $1 for $25 in savings.

For every dollar Medicare spends on monitoring programs, the government sees almost $25 in savings. We need more programs like this to root out fraud and recover improper payments.

To that end, I am working on legislation that will allow more of the money recovered by the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program to be reinvested directly into the fraud prevention program. The areas that this money needs to be reinvested back into are the trust funds and also back into the programs that will help us continue to be strong in this regard.

Earlier this year, House Republicans passed the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act, legislation that strengthened fraud prevention across the Federal Government and help protect taxpayer dollars from fraud, scams, and abuse.

Families are stretching every dollar right now. Fraudsters are cashing in on taxpayer-funded programs like childcare, student aid, and safety-net programs. Americans play by the rules. Scammers should not get rewarded.

This is the right fight. Every dollar stolen through fraud is a dollar taken from workers, families, seniors, veterans, and small businesses that actually need the support.

We have got enough excuses, loopholes, and taxpayer money disappearing into fraud and abuse. Our government programs have a problem, and our taxpayers are the ones paying the price. These are the loopholes we are closing. We are cracking down on this and holding negligent State leaders accountable. We cannot lower our deficit without addressing the fraudulent spending throughout our country.

For a year and a half, Republicans have shone a light on the amount of fraud, abuse, and the sheer waste. We are reducing the deficit by cutting this spending, and it is happening on daily basis.

As I mentioned earlier, the data that I have here, I was told several months ago that they had canceled 400 licenses and only heard back from 12. That is obviously a green light to then reach out and identify more. If you cancel a license and you don't hear from that company or those stakeholders, you have definitely nailed that right aspect of finding that fraudulent activity.

It is a point that I hope that every American can really understand. This is not a partisan issue. Everything back here becomes partisan, but if you look at it and just actually take the data, this is a sensational thing that is going on, and it is going to continue to go on for the duration of this administration.

We must continue to courageously work to solve this crisis, and we cannot let it get too late.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to bring Utah's sound fiscal policies to Washington on the House Budget Committee, and I will continue to fight for the American family as we seek to give our children a better economic future.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the three fallen firefighters who tragically died this past weekend while fighting fires in Utah.

Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, and Sydney Watson died during an interagency response to the Knowles and Gore fires, which are among several fires burning in our State right now. I am praying for their families and those close to the impacted areas. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

I am grateful to the many first responders working tirelessly to protect us. Brave men and women from across the State are on the front lines fighting for our communities, and we can never adequately thank them for their service.

In Utah and across the country, we are seeing devastating wildfires tear through forests and homes. Nearly 2,000 personnel are actively fighting these fires spanning over 250,000 acres.

Too many deadly wildfires are due to unpreparedness and mismanagement of forests. I was an original cosponsor of the Fix Our Forests Act and was proud that it was one of the first bills that we passed in the House this Congress.

The Fix Our Forests Act will increase coordination so wildfire agencies can better prepare for fire season and prevent these catastrophic wildfires. It is time that the Senate finish the job and send this bill to the President's desk. As this weekend has shown, Utah cannot wait any longer.

I am also working on new legislation to better prevent, detect, and mitigate wildfires. We need better coordination and more support for those putting their lives on the line to protect us, and this legislation is a step in the right direction.

What is happening across my State is devastating. I pray that the fires will soon be contained for the safety of our first responders.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision, reaffirming that

the U.S. Constitution does not grant the right to an abortion and rightfully returning the regulatory authority to State legislators.

I am excited to welcome my colleagues to speak on this topic with me. I understand some of my colleagues have commitments. I want to be respectful of the time, so I will have them start us off before I provide my own comments, of course.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama for his comments, he is a leader on this issue and always a good voice.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois. I appreciate her message of women and babies and the support that she has put forth in actual legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Harshbarger).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for her voice on this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Minnesota for her remarks.

I yield to the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Mrs. Biggs), one of our couple of remaining speakers, who I like to refer to these two new awesome Members as ``the dynamic duo'' from North and South Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Mr. Harris from North Carolina, the second half of the dynamic duo from the Carolinas.

Mr. Speaker, that was a great message from the gentleman from North Carolina, and I appreciate his voice on this matter.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson), the current Speaker of the House, who is taking time out of his very busy schedule to share some remarks on this most important topic and anniversary of the Dobbs decision.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana, the Speaker, more aptly known by the more prominent title of former vice chair.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate his voice. It is such an important, unique voice, from a law background to legislative on this very important topic.

I am very much looking forward to hearing from our last speaker this evening, the gentlewoman from Florida, who has a very unique experience, being able to talk about this, having just had a child herself. I couldn't think of a better way to end.

I thank all of my colleagues for being willing to come down and carve out extra time from our busy schedules to come talk about this very important issue. I am looking forward to hearing her remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman and my colleague from Florida. I appreciate her words.

I wanted to just end with a few remarks myself, Mr. Speaker, as we wrap up this evening's Special Order on this very important topic.

Today is an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come to protect the right to life and supporting children, women, and families.

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision reaffirming that the U.S. Constitution does not grant the right to an abortion and rightfully returns regulatory authority to State legislators. It is very plain, and it is very simple. That is what took place 4 years ago.

This decision provided the ability for more comprehensive care, representation, and opportunity for life, and it ensured that States like Utah can make decisions that align with our pro-life and pro- family values.

As a husband and father of four young boys, this is personal. Children are our future, and we must work harder to ensure every child and their mothers have the opportunity and resources to thrive and succeed.

At the end of my first year in office, my youngest son, Franklin, was born. Frankie had an H-type fistula that conjoined his trachea and his esophagus. It is a very rare disease, and he is fortunate to have amazing healthcare. Utah's Primary Children's Hospital is one of the foremost advanced places that actually does this surgery quite a bit.

I will never forget that holding him in the hospital just reminded me of our responsibility in Congress to value and protect the miracle of life and come alongside women who are also in difficult circumstances.

Since then, I have worked hard to pass pro-family legislation making life for working parents easier so no one has to choose between keeping their child and maintaining a livelihood.

I championed legislation to increase and make permanent the child tax credit, to make adoption much more affordable, and to create investment accounts for children providing them a financial launchpad to ease the burden of tuition, internship housing, transportation, and so much more.

By means of investment accounts for kids, they are going to start saving for

their retirement at the age of zero as opposed to typically at the age of 30 when we finally get around to doing that.

No one has given credit to our bill last year that literally established investment accounts for children, for babies, for babies born in the next 4 years to get a seeded $1,000 to start an investment account to give them opportunities to help them along the path of life.

Of course, people aren't drawing that correlation. They are not making that connection. We are not hearing from my colleagues on the left that we are doing things that are actually pro-family and actually pro-life. This particular issue just becomes a very toxic and horrible debate back and forth. However, when we actually look at what we have done, we are trying to focus on that next generation.

Sincerely, giving investment accounts to children, Trump accounts, starting them off on the path towards accruing something that they would have otherwise maybe never even invested in, they are going to start that when they are zero. All they have to do is sign up for it.

We are focused on life, and we are focused on improving families. There is no question about it. Our policies are directly related towards it.

As a member of both the House Values Action Team and Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, I have stood up to attempts to increase access to abortion, advocated for language restricting Federal funding for abortion, and signed legal briefs opposing mail-order abortion pills and requirements for employers to give time off for abortions.

Our focus in Congress should be focused on ensuring that every child has opportunities, no matter the circumstances of their conception or birth, and that pregnant women and mothers have the resources they need to be supported throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

I am proud of the progress we have made since that decision 4 years ago. We have passed legislation to support critical, comprehensive services for women in need, make it easier for working-class families to earn money and raise children, and support the rights and dignity of our most vulnerable.

Yes, we have much more work to do. The right to life is paramount, and I am eager to continue our work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues who have all shared messages tonight, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a man who has been a fixture of northern Utah for decades, who unfortunately passed away recently with a short but hard-fought battle with cancer.

It is hard to think of a man more dedicated to his community than Garden City Mayor Mike Leonhardt.

Mayor Mike spent his life serving his Garden City as a city council member, fire chief, Bear Lake County Search and Rescue volunteer, and most recently as a three-term mayor. When he wasn't serving his community, Mike was often found riding his Harley with his wife, Tami, and enjoying the scenic backdrop of northern Utah.

It has been an honor to serve Garden City alongside Mayor Mike, and I will miss him at the next Raspberry Days.

My heart is with Tami, his 7 children, 24 grandchildren, and the entire Rich County community as we remember and share our fond memories of Mayor Mike.

Congressional Basketball Game

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, on a court just blocks from here, Republicans and Democrats put aside the political divide, laced up our shoes, and went to battle.

The 26th Annual Congressional Basketball Game supports kids in our communities and stands as a reminder of what this place can be at its best.

I will be honest, the Members, a.k.a. the good team, the good guys, took a tough loss, 50-48. Yes, the lobbyists, a.k.a. the bad guys, are already talking

as if they had won a world championship. We will let them have their moment, and it will be brief.

Here is what matters. When we were down, this team didn't quit. Members rallied, a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter, defense, hustle, and heart, the very opposite of what the opposing team stands for, which mostly consists of overwhelming the refs with their aggressive fouling and other shenanigans down in the paint that leaves many Members of Congress sore for weeks after, as I have experienced.

For a moment, you could feel it, though. We were right there late in that fourth quarter. But why do we do it? Not for bragging rights, not even for the win. We do it for the kids in our community, kids who need support, opportunity, and someone in their corner.

That is the side of Capitol Hill people don't always see, where competition meets compassion. For one night, we come together not as Republicans or Democrats, but as teammates.

I will just say this to team swamp--I mean, team lobbyists--enjoy the win. We will see you next year.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to be joined by my colleagues for this Police Week Special Order.

Law enforcement across this country is putting their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, and 1 week per year honoring them will never be enough. I want to respect the time of our colleagues so I will turn the time over to them before I give my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Mrs. Biggs).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from South Carolina for her great message, and I appreciate her attending this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her inspiring message. It is so personal as well, and I appreciate her willingness to share.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman) for his message, and I appreciate him for sharing the two incredible, brave individuals.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Schmidt).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas for his heartwarming and thoughtful remarks on a very important week. I know that the families of those officers will appreciate the focus, attention, and prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their comments. National Police Week is about brave, sacrificial people. It is about families. It is about heroes, Mr. Speaker, like Sergeant Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada, whose service and dedication to public safety left a lasting impact on northern Utah.

Sergeant Sorenson and Officer Estrada faithfully served their communities for many years before tragically being killed in the line of duty. While there are no words to ease the pain of their passing, it has been incredible to see the Tremonton, Garland, and greater Utah communities rally in support and appreciation for their families and our first responders.

This National Police Week, we are backing the blue and standing up for those who risk their lives to protect us.

I am proud to see Sergeant Sorenson and Officer Estrada's names being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall here in D.C. Of course, we wish that were not the case, but it is an honor to be able to see them listed among the brave. Their service, like that of many others who have died on the job, is simply not forgotten.

This National Police Week is dedicated to the brave men and women of law enforcement who make it so we can leave with peace of mind and so we can feel confident that our families are safe.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues who joined me tonight. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, one trick that you see back here in Washington politics is when the opposing side is arguing in defense of the indefensible, they will say: I support border security but . . . there is always a but.

What we have seen for the last 5\1/2\ years since President Biden took over in 2021 to today is very simply laid out in the following three strategies: Leave the border wide open, then create a bunch of sanctuary cities, and then refuse to fund immigration and Border Patrol.

If you look at those three things, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what they are doing. Now they are forcing us to go at it alone, when for decades, longer than that, Republicans and Democrats have always been able to come together and support a homeland security bill, but they refuse to support ICE and CBP.

S. Con. Res. 33 is a critical step in delivering on the key policy mandate that voters gave Congress: to secure the southern border and end the national crisis that is mass migration.

I would much rather fund and regulate the Department of Homeland Security and immigration enforcement through regular appropriations. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have made that impossible. This is not a serious way to govern. It is irresponsible, and it is dangerous.

Congress should not play with the livelihoods of servicemembers at the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Agency, or the Secret Service to secure a political win. We cannot restrict resources at a time like this, especially amid recent threats to White House officials and national security concerns.

We are now forced to run a narrowly focused partisan reconciliation process to provide necessary funding to ICE and CBP and their operational and support components to last through the Trump administration.

The Trump administration has made great strides in securing the border and removing those who have entered our country illegally, which will alleviate strains on local law enforcement and hospital systems. It will help lower insurance premiums and put downward pressure on housing prices in the long term.

Supporting this resolution will ensure we can build on the success and continue to provide a safe environment for American families to thrive. This also does a very important thing by setting our projected deficit on a path toward 3 percent of GDP.

Mr. Speaker, I will end there. I thank the chairman for the additional time.

Mr. Speaker, we need to take our finances seriously and put us on a path toward 3 percent debt to GDP.

I urge my colleagues to support this budget resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4930) to expand the sharing of information with respect to suspected violations of intellectual property rights in trade, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith) for his support of this piece of legislation that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider) and I have proposed today for consideration. I will share a few remarks on this, but again, I appreciate the committee and the entire staff for the work that they have done to make this possible.

I am very pleased, Mr. Speaker, that my bill, H.R. 4930, which I am calling the counterfeit notification act, has been slated for floor consideration today. I introduced this bill with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider) to target the influx of counterfeit goods entering the United States and to equip our Customs and Border Patrol officers to share real-time information with businesses, e-commerce platforms, and logistics companies.

To put things into perspective, in fiscal year 2023, Customs and Border Protection seized more than $2.7 billion worth of counterfeit goods at the U.S. border. More than 46 percent of seizures originated from China and Hong Kong.

This poses serious national security threats and risks to citizens due to products of poor quality, hazardous material, or unknown production conditions, such as, of course, forced labor.

My bill addresses a key gap in CBP's ability to spot and halt the flow of counterfeit goods into the U.S. under current law. When CBP suspects a shipment may be counterfeit, they are allowed only to publicize limited information. They are unable to share labels, invoices, or packing slips that identify the products of the country of origin with key stakeholders. This leaves the business community, e- commerce platforms like Etsy and Amazon, and logistics carriers like DHL, UPS, or FedEx in the dark when counterfeit activity is happening right under their nose.

To solve the issue, the counterfeit notification act gives CBP explicit authority to share relevant information with companies, carriers, and platforms when they receive a potentially counterfeit shipment.

This will include shipping labels and tracking numbers, invoices and shipping manifests, outer packaging images, or sender and recipient addresses.

The bill also broadens the range of parties with whom CBP can share information, such as e-commerce sites from which the products in question may be sold. This means that CBP will be able to recognize and flag patterns of behavior, like repeat senders of mass shipments, drop addresses used by organized counterfeiters, or common entry points or air routes for suspected counterfeit goods.

For example, if a counterfeit shipment from China repeatedly enters the U.S. via the Port of Los Angeles using the same fake return address, CBP will be able to share these patterns with carriers like UPS, DHL, and FedEx so they can intercept future parcels before they arrive on American soil.

Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill that will strengthen U.S. national security, kneecap bad actors, and protect the IP of American companies.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the support of my colleagues on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, our intellectual property rights have secured over two centuries' worth of leadership and innovation. They form the foundation upon which opportunity for entrepreneurship is built and which makes the U.S. economy the envy of the world.

This legislation addresses the current weakness in our IP protections by ensuring those at CBP on the front lines of defending our national interests are better aligned with the businesses and workers that define our economic might.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was struck by a recent interview that former Senator Ben Sasse gave with Ross Douthat of The New York Times in which he argued that the future grand divide in human society will not be over income, class, or gender, but about how we incorporate technology into our lives.

If artificial intelligence, as many predict, is going to reduce economic scarcity in the long run, Senator Sasse argued that humanity will be left with

an abundance of AI-powered services and task masters.

Some will choose to lean into this abundance. While it might result in greater efficiencies for some, it will also turbocharge the worst parts of how we use technology. Deep fakes, pornography, identity theft, placelessness, and social isolation are already rampant in our society and will only skyrocket in a world of mass-adopted generative

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Carlos Olin Godby.

Many of us here know him as the best IT administrator Capitol Hill has ever known, but much more than that, he was a husband, father, and friend of those who knew him.

It didn't matter the issue or request. Carlos was there ready to lend a hand at a moment's notice. He was a calm and dependable problem solver, intelligent, and trustworthy. There was never a problem he couldn't fix, and if he wasn't sure right then, we knew he would figure it out. Always before he even told me, he was calling me back with a solution.

Carlos brought a special light into our offices. He didn't just fix our IT problems. He asked how we were doing. He asked about our families, and he showed that he cared personally about those he served professionally.

He spoke often about his wife, Angela, and his daughter, Adele. They were truly his pride and joy.

Carlos enjoyed spending time with friends at Mount Vernon Park, trying to perfect his lawn, listening to all kinds of music, creating delicious dishes with New Mexico green chile, and rooting for the New Mexico State Aggies and the Dallas Cowboys.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones now, especially Angela and Adele. I believe Carlos is watching over them now and is still cheering them on. He is proud of everything they are doing.

Carlos served on the Hill for over 30 years. It is impossible to accurately describe the kind of person he was in just a short speech. I speak on behalf of my staff, myself, and countless others who were fortunate enough to cross paths with him. His impact and generous spirit will outlive him, and we will miss him dearly.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues for joining me on this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Kustoff).

Honoring Steve Stamson

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his remarks. I appreciate his friendship and working on all of our issues on the committee together.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Medal of Honor Day and the American heroes who have earned our highest military decoration.

Over 40 million Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since the Civil War, but fewer than 4,000 have been awarded the Medal of Honor. This award not only commemorates the bravery of those who earned it but also honors their humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice for the United States and her people.

Although each Medal of Honor recipient earns their medal through different acts of heroism, they all have one thing in common: They never sought heroism, yet they embodied it through their risk, sacrifice, and actions to protect others.

I would like to honor a few recipients from my home State of Utah.

Petty Officer George Edward Wahlen was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 5, 1945. Despite being repeatedly wounded during the battle of Iwo Jima, Petty Officer Wahlen refused evacuation and continued risking his life to rescue and treat comrades under intense enemy fire.

Private Jose Valdez was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1946. Private Valdez held his ground against overwhelming German forces, engaging enemies at close range and singlehandedly covering his patrol's retreat under intense fire, facing more than 200 enemy soldiers.

Lieutenant Brian Miles Thacker, whom we are lucky to still have with us today, was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 15, 1973. During a fierce assault at a fire base in the Vietnam war, Lieutenant Thacker directed airstrikes and artillery from a dangerously exposed position for hours, organized the withdrawal, and remained behind alone to provide covering fire. Although wounded and unable to escape from the area himself, he successfully eluded the enemy forces for 8 days until friendly forces regained control of the fire base.

I think President Harry S. Truman put it best: ``We do not go to war for gain or for territory; we go to war for principles, and we produce young men like these. . . . I would rather have that medal . . . than to be President of the United States.''

One of the first initiatives I worked on when I came to Congress 6 years ago was to authorize a National Medal of Honor Monument here in Washington, D.C. That bill passed Congress and was signed into law in December 2021.

The next and final step is to pass the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act to authorize the monument's permanent place on The National Mall. This bill was one of the first bills that passed the House in the 119th Congress, and it passed by a vote of 414-0.

I am grateful to my friend from Texas (Mr. Veasey) for working on both of these bills with me.

It is time for the Senate to do their job and join the House in coming together in a bipartisan way to provide these heroes and these heroes' families with the monument on our National Mall that they have earned.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Justice for his tireless work to move this bill through the Senate process, and I urge the Senate to come together on National Medal of Honor Day, pass the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, and move it one step closer to the President's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I thank America's Medal of Honor recipients for their patriotism and for setting an example, and I yield back the balance of my time.